April 2009

We have the menu for the evening with Honorary Consul General of Japan!We will serve this course dinner following Mr. Greg Boyko’s presentation of “Japan & the U.S. – The Most Important Bilateral Relationship.”Seating is limited, and are going quickly…please make a reservation soon.We will ask for your credit card information to secure your reservation.

When: Thursday, May 21st

Time: 6:00 pm

Something new everytime at our dinner events - *pictured are not for the May event

The Chairman of Hartford Insurance K.K. (ハートフォード生命), also an Honorary Consul General of Japan to the U.S., Gregory Boyko will present “Japan and the U.S. – The Most Important Bilateral Relationship,” at Maeda Sushi.Mr. Boyko will speak about range of topics including historical and current events, and his personal experience in Japan – some of which has been chronicled in his monthly column on the Japanese business daily Nikkei Shinbun.Maeda Sushi Restaurant will then serve up a special course dinner designed for this occasion.

Maeda Sushi is always trying to be a place where our cultures meet, through our cuisine, and sometimes through special events.This time, it will take an academic turn, featuring someone who truly connects the U.S. and Japan, or Connecticut and Japan, both culturally and in business.Mr. Boyko started and ran the Japan operation of The Hartford as the CEO of Hartford Insurance K.K. until recent retirement from The Hartford in the U.S.We are honored to have such a distinguished businessman with immense knowledge and interest in Japanese culture as our guest in this still new series.

Mr. Boyko recently retired from The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. after a long career in various roles including Chief Financial Officer of Hartford Life and Chairman and CEO of Hartford Life International.

Boyko is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and the University of Connecticut School of Law. He also holds a number of professional degrees, including the Certified Public Accountant, Chartered Life Underwriter, and Chartered Financial Consultant designations.

He is an Honorary Consul General for Japan, a member of the Connecticut and American Bar Associations, the Connecticut Society of CPA’s, Director of the Japan Society of New York, member of the International Committee of the American Council of Life Insurers, a director of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, a member of the Hartford Metro Chamber of Commerce, a corporator of Hartford’s St. Francis Hospital, a member of the St. Francis Foundation Board of Directors, and a member of the Mark Twain House and Museum Board of Directors.

Thank you, to all the people who came to our “Dinner with Lynita Shimizu”.

I hope everyone had as great a time as we did with woodblock print artist, Lynita Shimizu, who’s engaging personality comes through her art, but even better in person.All the customers had a chance to make a print of their own.We got a peek into how Ms. Shimizu’s art derived from centuries old Japanese technique.Many customers were familiar with her work as they grace Maeda Sushi’s walls.As for the dinner, it seemed “Una-Tama,” the steamed egg with eel, with ankake sauce was the hit of the night, with the very healthy, soy sheet rolled mountain yam with vinegar gelee coming in at close second.Late at night, even our staff got their hands on the “baren” and pressed a few prints.

Again, we’d like to thank everyone who came, and Lynita-san, for a wonderful night.